This is a core course that focuses on the development of professional practice skills directly related to work integrated learning. The course involves placement in an educational setting. Particular focus will be given to examining assessment practices and reporting in education.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course is designed to assist students to build and refine their knowledge and skills in the areas of observation, learning and teaching, assessment, reflection and knowledge of innovations and initiatives, based on reflection and feedback from their previous professional practice experiences and current learning within the course.

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:
• Plan, document and implement a comprehensive program for teaching consecutive whole days.
• Observe, reflect and implement a range of assessment strategies and reporting practices.
• Observe, record and reflect on the protocols around assessment and reporting.
• Provide feedback as a way of promoting assessment as learning.
• Show further development in assessing the progress of individual learners including the keeping of appropriate assessment records.
• Plan to meet the needs of individual learners within the class as a whole.
• Display evidence of a developing philosophy of education.
• Articulate some of the innovations and initiatives that are being implemented in classrooms and educational environments.
• Seek, accept and use guidance and respond constructively to feedback from professional mentors.
• Critically reflect on their teaching and issues impacting on the professional practice classroom.

ICT Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course students will have demonstrated and/or acquired the following ICT capabilities:
• Understandings of how to use ICT in the classroom to facilitate learning, in particular critical skills such as information skills, analysis, problem-solving and decision-making.
• Abilities to provide opportunities for students to be engaged in ICT-enriched activities that are essentially self-regulating and cooperative.
• Awareness of digital assessment and reporting tools for effective learning.

VIT Standards
This course is aligned with the following standards:
• Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively.
• Teachers plan and assess for effective learning.
• Teachers use a range of teaching strategies and resources to engage students in effective learning.

Overview of Learning Activities

Students’ learning in this course will involve a range of activities both at the educational setting and university that are designed to focus on addressing various Victorian Institute of Teaching characteristics of effective teaching.

Overview of Learning Resources

See part B

Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks are directly linked to the stated objectives and outcomes. Assessment in the course will be both theoretical and practical in nature. A range of formative and summative assessment types will be incorporated into the course (for example, developing a Professional Portfolio and a variety of assessment that demonstrates how the specific areas of professional practice have been addressed).

Students should refer to Part B of the course guide for further information on assessment.